Rumor central: There’s some talk that the Tennessee Volunteers have interest in Rams head coach Jeff Fisher. Tennessee is shopping after firing the hapless Derek Dooley, and we’ve seen approximately 1,273 names floated in connection with the Tennessee job. So yeah, throw Fisher’s name on there. It doesn’t mean anything. It’s good for bar-stool talk.

No. 1, Fisher is on the short list of the highest-paid NFL head coaches. He makes $7 million a year. So the lure of money is negligible in this instance.

No. 2, Fisher has been empowered by Rams owner Stan Kroenke. Fisher is the de facto football boss at Rams Park and answers to no one but Kroenke, and Kroenke doesn’t meddle. He trusts Fisher. That’s the kind of situation that an NFL head coach craves. Fisher didn’t have that with the Titans; Tennessee owner Bud Adams wasn’t easy to work for. Kroenke in many respects is a dream owner for a guy like Fisher.

No. 3, Fisher isn’t an impulsive man, obviously. He coached the Oilers/Titans for 16 seasons. This isn’t a job-hopping ingrate. In an era of coaching mercenaries, Fisher’s loyalty is impressive.

No. 4, because of the pre-draft trade with Washington, the Rams are in a good position for the future. They own Washington’s first-round pick in 2013 and 2014. Having two first-rounders in each of the next two drafts not only provides a chance to add premium players to the roster, but Fisher and GM Les Snead can spin off, and have the option of cashing one of the No. 1 picks for extra choices. Fisher has a chance to build something here. He isn’t going to walk away from that, not after one season.

No. 5, Fisher has never coached college football. That would be a major transition for an NFL lifer who's been coaching in the league since 1985.

That’s all for today. Thanks for reading. Happy Thanksgiving, to you and your family and friends.

Re: Bernie Bytes: Shooting Down Fisher Rumors

So stop posting his crap! No one seems to like the guy. There should be a ban on Bernie postings!

Personally, I think it is stupid to continually post his stuff so everyone can sit around and write fat guy jokes.

Who cares!!!

We've discussed this, have we not? If you think posting Bernie articles is stupid and you don't care, why in the world do you bother reading them, let alone opening them?? I have ALWAYS prefaced anything written by Bernie with his name in the thread title (I did this even before the P-D started doing it) to give everyone fair warning.

Maybe you should prepare yourself Ferter, because I will continue to post articles, Bernies included, that generate interest, foster discussion, provide entertainment, and give many of us comic relief.